Dan Colen Offering ‘Avant-Grade’ Art Class for Children

Examining two gum paintings by Dan Colen included in his Gagosian New York show in 2010, Times co-chief art critic Roberta Smith wrote that “you may even begin to wonder about the kind of painter Mr. Colen might become if he ever decides to grow up.” (It was a pretty scathing review and noted in passing that “juvenile nastiness… informs everything here.”)

On March 25, Mr. Colen is going to channel some of his youthful exuberance into the Avant Garde Preschool, a project of NoHo concept store Partners & Spade. According to an invitation that was just sent out by the shop, children will have the opportunity to “spend an artful afternoon creating abstract works using flowers and M&Ms” with Mr. Colen. The results, seen in the photo above, appear likely to be both delicious and beautiful.

Older children (and adults) looking to collaborate with Mr. Colen are out of luck: this is open only to children ages five to 12.

All joking aside (we like the artist’s candle paintings), this is for a good cause: the $40 fee will be donated to RxArt, which helps bring art into hospitals and other healthcare facilities.